The Confessions of Max Tivoli

Written by Andrew Sean Greer. If books could be described as "delicious," then that is how I would describe The Confessions of Max Tivoli.

Born with the physical appearance of an elderly man, Max grows older mentally like any child, but his body appears to age backward, growing younger every year. And yet, his physical curse proves to be a blessing, allowing him to try to win the heart of the same woman three times as at each successive encounter she fails to recognize him, taking him for a stranger, so giving max another chance at love.

The story takes place at the turn of the 20th century in San Francisco. The setting alone for this novel makes it worth reading. While reading, you are not reading a boring memoir, but the confessions of a man who led a life like no other. Sometimes you will feel sorry for him, embarrassed for him, and sometimes even angry at him. Max has the companionship of Hughie, who is there with him from his childhood until the time Max is an adult with the appearance of a child and Hughie then takes the role of his father. One can only hope to have a true friend like Hughie. While we may not have the same medical condition as Max, we can certainly relate to his emotions of wanting to be loved, especially be the one we love. His novel begins with the following:

We are each the love of someone's life.

Whether this is true or not, I don't know. But I know one thing, the novel is poetic, and at the end, I was thirsty for more. My favourite line: All of a sudden, life was a gorgeous broken glass.

As reviews for this novel state, it will leave you feeling "younger and wiser." You will learn lessons of love, life, and friendship.

Spoiler Alert:
The ending is quite tragic. It will leave you with that empy feeling in the pit of your stomach. But I believe that is what makes a novel great.

Definitely a 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend this book. And I have yet to find a novel such as this, one that I was unable to put down after having started reading it. Enjoy!